PAPER making! g! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL ® Volume 11, Number 1, 2025
NANO-SCIENCE “ Enhancing papermaking with nanocellulose and chitosan: Synergistic approaches for eco-friendly production ”, R.A. Ilyas, Rafidah Jalil, Rushdan Ibrahim, H.S.N. Hawanis, H.A.A. Azriena, Rohah Abdul Majid, N.H.M. Hassan, M.S.N. Atikah & Abu Hassan Nordin, Sustainable Materials and Technologies , Vol.43, April 2025, e01252. The expanding demand for paper production has significantly contributed to the global economy, but it also presents substantial environmental challenges due to the diverse waste streams generated by the industry. To address these issues, eco-friendly biomaterials or also known as biopolymers are increasingly advocated in the papermaking process. The application of biopolymers in pulp and paper industries is focusing in improving the paper products performance especially for packaging paper products. Two promising sustainable materials are nanocellulose and chitosan. Nanocellulose, known for its abundance and biodegradability, serves as an effective additive in paper production, enhancing strength, retention, filtration, and coating properties. Chitosan, derived from chitin, the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, is a renewable, non-toxic biomaterial with high cationic charge density, antibacterial properties, and excellent biocompatibility with cellulose. Its integration into papermaking enhances both dry and wet strength by forming hydrogen bonds with nanocellulose, thus improving the physical, mechanical, thermal, and antimicrobial properties of paper. The synergy between nanocellulose and chitosan not only enhances the overall quality of the paper but also supports the production of various types of paper, including packaging, printing, speciality, and textile paper. This approach underscores the role of sustainable biomaterials in innovating the papermaking industry while reducing its environmental footprint. “Effects of multilayered cellulose -based coatings on the barrier properties of paperboard”, Johanna Lyytikäinen, Krista Koljonen & Ville Leminen, Cellulose , online Feb. 2025. Coating a paperboard is the most important finishing process to achieve a good barrier against oxygen, water vapor and grease, which are typically obtained with fossil- based plastics. In this study, three different cellulose-based coating components — methyl nanocellulose (MeNC), microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and hydrophobically modified ethyl(hydroxyethyl) cellulose (HM-EHEC) — were investigated. One to five coating layers were applied to the paperboard using spray and rod coating. Combinations of different coating components, coat weights, and barrier properties at different temperatures and relative humidities were studied. Scanning electron microscopy, air permeance and contact angle measurements using water and oil were used to characterize the uncoated and coated surfaces. It was shown that the MeNC and MFC layers increased the surface wettability. On contrary, HM-EHEC coating provided surface hydrophobicity, but reduced oil repellence. According to oxygen barrier measurements, HM-EHEC seemed to provide resistance at high humidities. In addition, a coating with a low weight could not close the surface completely and resulted in a poor grease barrier. However, high-weight coatings with MFC and HM-EHEC layers were greaseproof, even at elevated temperature and humidities.
Technical Abstracts
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